Story of a lover's being engrossed in reading and perusing a love-letter in the presence of his beloved, and how the beloved was displeased thereat. It is shameful to seek the proof in the presence of that which is proved, and blameworthy to occupy one's self with knowledge after having attained to that which is known.

آن یکی را یار پیش خود نشاند ** نامه بیرون کرد و پیش یار خواند

A certain man, (when) his beloved let (him) sit beside her, produced a letter and read it to her.

بیتها در نامه و مدح و ثنا ** زاری و مسکینی و بس لابه‌ها

In the letter were verses and praise and laud, lamentation and wretchedness and many humble entreaties.

گفت معشوق این اگر بهر منست ** گاه وصل این عمر ضایع کردنست

The beloved said, “If this is for my sake, (to read) this at the time of (our) meeting is to waste one's life.

من به پیشت حاضر و تو نامه خوان ** نیست این باری نشان عاشقان

I am here beside thee, and thou reading a letter! This, at any rate, is not the mark of (true) lovers.”

گفت اینجا حاضری اما ولیک ** من نمی‌یایم نصیب خویش نیک1410

He replied, “Thou art present here, but I am not gaining my pleasure well (completely).

آنچ می‌دیدم ز تو پارینه سال ** نیست این دم گرچه می‌بینم وصال

That which I felt last year on account of thee is non-existent at this moment, though I am experiencing union (with thee).

من ازین چشمه زلالی خورده‌ام ** دیده و دل ز آب تازه کرده‌ام

I have drunk cool water from this fountain, I have refreshed eye and heart with its water.

چشمه می‌بینم ولیکن آب نی ** راه آبم را مگر زد ره‌زنی

I am (still) seeing the fountain, but the water is not there: maybe some brigand has waylaid (and cut off) my water.”

گفت پس من نیستم معشوق تو ** من به بلغار و مرادت در قتو

She said, “Then I am not thy beloved: I am in Bulghár, and the object of thy desire is in Qutú

عاشقی تو بر من و بر حالتی ** حالت اندر دست نبود یا فتی1415

Thou art in love with me and (also) with a state of feeling; the state of feeling is not in thy hand (in thy possession), O youth.

پس نیم کلی مطلوب تو من ** جزو مقصودم ترا اندرز من

Therefore I am not the whole of that which is sought by thee; I am (only) part of the object of thy quest at the present time.

خانه‌ی معشوقه‌ام معشوق نی ** عشق بر نقدست بر صندوق نی

I am (only) the house of thy beloved, not the beloved (herself): (true) love is for the cash, not for the coffer (that contains it).”

هست معشوق آنک او یکتو بود ** مبتدا و منتهاات او بود

The (real) beloved is that one who is single, who is thy beginning and end.

چون بیابی‌اش نمانی منتظر ** هم هویدا او بود هم نیز سر

When thou findest him, thou wilt not remain in expectation (of aught else): he is both the manifest and also the mystery,

میر احوالست نه موقوف حال ** بنده‌ی آن ماه باشد ماه و سال1420

He is the lord of states of feeling, not dependent on any state: month and year are slaves of that Moon.

چون بگوید حال را فرمان کند ** چون بخواهد جسمها را جان کند

When he bids the “state,” it does his behest; when he wills, he makes bodies (become) spirit.

منتها نبود که موقوفست او ** منتظر بنشسته باشد حال‌جو

One that is stopped (on the way) is not (at) the (journey's) end; he will be seated, waiting and seeking the “state.”

کیمیای حال باشد دست او ** دست جنباند شود مس مست او

His (the perfect saint's) hand is the elixir that transmutes the “state”: (if) he move his hand, the copper becomes intoxicated with him.

گر بخواهد مرگ هم شیرین شود ** خار و نشتر نرگس و نسرین شود

If he will, even death becomes sweet; thorns and stings become narcissus and wild-rose.

آنک او موقوف حالست آدمیست ** کو بحال افزون و گاهی در کمیست1425

He that is dependent on the “state” is (still) a human being: for (at one moment) he is (made) greater by the “state,” at another moment he is in decrease.

صوفی ابن الوقت باشد در منال ** لیک صافی فارغست از وقت و حال

In respect of gaining (the 'state'), the Súfí is “the son of the time,” but the pure one (sáfí) is unconcerned with “time” and “state.”

حالها موقوف عزم و رای او ** زنده از نفخ مسیح‌آسای او

“States” are dependent on his decision and judgement; (they are) vivified by his Messiah-like breath.

عاشق حالی نه عاشق بر منی ** بر امید حال بر من می‌تنی

“Thou art in love with thy ‘state,’ thou art not in love with me; thou art attached to me in the hope of (experiencing) the ‘state.’”

آنک یک دم کم دمی کامل بود ** نیست معبود خلیل آفل بود

He that at one moment is deficient and at another moment perfect is not He that was worshipped by Khalíl (Abraham): he is one that sinks;

وانک آفل باشد و گه آن و این ** نیست دلبر لا احب افلین1430

And he that is liable to sink and is now that and (now) this is not the (true) beloved: “I love not them that sink.”

آنک او گاهی خوش و گه ناخوشست ** یک زمانی آب و یک دم آتشست

He that is now pleasing and now unpleasing, at one time water and at one moment fire,

برج مه باشد ولیکن ماه نه ** نقش بت باشد ولی آگاه نه

May be the mansion of the Moon, but he is not the Moon; he may be the picture of the Adored One, but he is not conscious.

هست صوفی صفاجو ابن وقت ** وقت را همچون پدر بگرفته سخت

The Súfí that seeks purity is ‘the son of the time’: he has clasped the ‘time’ tightly as (though it were) his father.

هست صافی غرق عشق ذوالجلال ** ابن کس نه فارغ از اوقات و حال

The pure one (sáfí) is plunged in love of the Glorious (God); he is not the son of any one, (he is) free from ‘times’ and ‘states’—

غرقه‌ی نوری که او لم یولدست ** لم یلد لم یولد آن ایزدست1435

Plunged in the Light which is unbegotten: (the description) He neither begetteth nor is He begotten belongs to God (alone).

رو چنین عشقی بجو گر زنده‌ای ** ورنه وقت مختلف را بنده‌ای

Go, seek a love like this, if thou art (spiritually) alive; otherwise, thou art a slave to the changing “time.”

منگر اندر نقش زشت و خوب خویش ** بنگر اندر عشق و در مطلوب خویش

Do not regard thy ugly or beauteous form; regard Love and the object of thy search.

منگر آنک تو حقیری یا ضعیف ** بنگر اندر همت خود ای شریف

Do not regard the fact that thou art despicable or infirm; look upon thy aspiration, O noble one.